Peer-reviewedCC BYContact Dermatitis
European Society of Contact Dermatitis Guideline for Diagnostic Patch Testing—Recommendations on Best Practice (Update 2026)
25 affiliations
- 1Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology Friedrich‐Alexander Universität Erlangen/Nürnberg Erlangen Germany
- 2University Hospital Antwerp (UZA) and University of Antwerp Antwerp Belgium
- 3Department of Dermatology, Bispebjerg Hospital University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
- 4Department of Dermatology, Environmental Medicine and Health Theory Osnabrück University Osnabrück Germany
- 5Institute for Interdisciplinary Dermatologic Prevention and Rehabilitation (iDerm) Osnabrück University Osnabrück Germany
- 6Department of Occupational and Environmental Dermatology, Lund University Skåne University Hospital Malmö Sweden
- 7Contact Dermatitis and Occupational Dermatoses, Hospital de Clínicas “José de San Martín” Buenos Aires University Buenos Aires Argentina
- 8Department of Occupational and Envionmental Diseases, University Hospital of Centre of Paris, Hotel‐Dieu Hospital, AP‐HP, and Department of Dermatology University Hospital of Centre of Paris, Cochin Hospital Paris France
- 9Department of Dermatology, Hospital del Mar Research Institute Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona Spain
- 10Clinic of Dermatology, University Hospital, Coimbra Local Health Unit and Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra Coimbra Portugal
- 11Faculty of Medicine Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) Leuven Belgium
- 12Institute of Environmental Medicine Karolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden
- 13Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine University Hospital Center Zagreb Zagreb Croatia
- 14Allergology Division, Paul‐Ehrlich‐Institut Langen Germany
- 15Department of Dermatology at Norrlands University Hospital Umeå Umeå Sweden
- 16Department of Dermatology at University Hospital of Örebro Örebro Sweden
- 17Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine Istanbul University Istanbul Turkey
- 18Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Occupational Medicine Helsinki Finland
- 19Department of Dermatology Montpellier University Hospital and Montpellier University Montpellier France
- 20Department of Dermatology‐Allergology and Occupational Dermatology Amsterdam University Medical Centers Amsterdam the Netherlands
- 21Department of Experimental Dermatology and Cosmetology Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland and Instytut Dermatologii Krakow Poland
- 22Section of Dermatology, Department of Medicine and Surgery University of Perugia Perugia Italy
- 23Department of Cutaneous Allergy St. John's Institute of Dermatology, Guy's Hospital London UK
- 24Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Leeds UK
- 25National Allergy Research Centre, Department of Skin and Allergy University of Copenhagen, Gentofte Hospital Copenhagen Denmark
Abstract
The present guideline updates the initial ESCD patch testing guideline, summarizing all aspects of patch testing for the diagnosis of contact allergy in patients suspected of suffering, or having been suffering, from allergic contact dermatitis or other delayed-type hypersensitivity skin and mucosal conditions. Sections with brief descriptions and discussions of different pertinent topics are followed by highlighted short practical recommendations, which have been consensualized in a Delphi process. Topics comprise, after an introduction with important definitions, materials, technique, modifications of epicutaneous testing, individual factors influencing the patch test outcome or necessitating special considerations, children, patients with occupational contact dermatitis and drug eruptions as special groups, patch testing of materials brought in by the patient, adverse effects of patch testing and the final evaluation and patient counselling based on this judgement. Finally, short reference is made to aspects of (continuing) medical education and to electronic collection of data for epidemiological surveillance.
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BibTeX
@article{uter2026european,
title = {{European Society of Contact Dermatitis Guideline for Diagnostic Patch Testing—Recommendations on Best Practice (Update 2026)}},
author = {Wolfgang J. C. Uter and Olivier Aerts and Tove Agner and Richard Brans and M. Bruze and Alicia Cannavó and M.N. Crépy and Ana Maria Giménez‐Arnau and Margarida Gonçalo and An E. Goossens and Swen Malte John and Carola Lidén and Suzana Ljubojević Hadžavdić and Vera Mahler and Mihály Matura and Esen Özkaya and Maria Pesonen and Nadia Raison‐Peyron and Thomas Rustemeyer and Radosław Śpiewak and Luca Stingeni and Ian R. White and Mark Wilkinson and Jeanne Duus Johansen},
journal = {Contact Dermatitis},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.1111/cod.70195},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.70195},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - European Society of Contact Dermatitis Guideline for Diagnostic Patch Testing—Recommendations on Best Practice (Update 2026)
AU - Wolfgang J. C. Uter
AU - Olivier Aerts
AU - Tove Agner
AU - Richard Brans
AU - M. Bruze
AU - Alicia Cannavó
AU - M.N. Crépy
AU - Ana Maria Giménez‐Arnau
AU - Margarida Gonçalo
AU - An E. Goossens
AU - Swen Malte John
AU - Carola Lidén
AU - Suzana Ljubojević Hadžavdić
AU - Vera Mahler
AU - Mihály Matura
AU - Esen Özkaya
AU - Maria Pesonen
AU - Nadia Raison‐Peyron
AU - Thomas Rustemeyer
AU - Radosław Śpiewak
AU - Luca Stingeni
AU - Ian R. White
AU - Mark Wilkinson
AU - Jeanne Duus Johansen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/21
JO - Contact Dermatitis
DO - 10.1111/cod.70195
UR - https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.70195
AB - The present guideline updates the initial ESCD patch testing guideline, summarizing all aspects of patch testing for the diagnosis of contact allergy in patients suspected of suffering, or having been suffering, from allergic contact dermatitis or other delayed-type hypersensitivity skin and mucosal conditions. Sections with brief descriptions and discussions of different pertinent topics are followed by highlighted short practical recommendations, which have been consensualized in a Delphi process. Topics comprise, after an introduction with important definitions, materials, technique, modifications of epicutaneous testing, individual factors influencing the patch test outcome or necessitating special considerations, children, patients with occupational contact dermatitis and drug eruptions as special groups, patch testing of materials brought in by the patient, adverse effects of patch testing and the final evaluation and patient counselling based on this judgement. Finally, short reference is made to aspects of (continuing) medical education and to electronic collection of data for epidemiological surveillance.
SN - 0105-1873
SN - 1600-0536
ER -